Trunk-strap fastener



UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM JAMES IVEBB, OF SABINE PASS, TEXAS.

TRUNK-STRAP FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 46 5,225, dated December 1891. Application filed February 13. 1891. Serial No- SSLSOS, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J AMES WEBB,

by a trunk-strap after having been tightly drawn around a trunk or other article of baggage can befastened without the use of the usual buckle.

To this end the invention consists of a fastener constructed substantially as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as illustrated on the sheet of drawings, wherein Figure 1- is a perspective View of a trunk with a strap around the same, the ends of which strap are connected by' my improved fastener. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal section of the strap and the fastener in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of these devices, showing the strap as about to be tightened. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of the upper end of the fastener with the strap removed.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter T designates a trunk or other piece of baggage, and S is a strap around the same,as is usual. One end of this strap is doubled over and sewed to its body, so as to form a head H, and the body of the strap may be, although not necessarily, provided with buckle-holes. I11 other words, an ordinary trunk-strap will answer, although the buckle-holes therein are notdnecessary when my improved fastener is use The said fastener is constructed as follows: The letters E, I, and L designate, respectively, the end, intermediate, and lever members of the fastener, each of which is preferably of metal constructed in about the shape and relative size shown in the drawings. Between the end members E and I a wedge shaped hole WV is formed, and through this hole is passed the strap near the head H, the latter being drawn into the hole and wedged therein. This member E is hinged to the intermediate member I, as shown in Fig. 4.

' The lever member L has a beveled or undercut recess Rin its end, and the arms A at each side of this recess extend along the sides of the member I, pins P passing through said arms and into said member I, whereby these two members are hinged together. This edge of the intermediate member is beveled, as shown at B, and the beveled face, as well as the undercut face, of the recess R is provided with teeth 25, as shown. The body of the lever member graduallydecreases in thickness toward its outer end, and here it is provided with a raised portion Q, over which a tongue U' extends inwardly, and a spring-tongue Z is secured to the upper face of said member, its

free end bearing upwardly against the bottom v loop of sufficient size to embrace the strap,

the lever member L, and the raisedportion Q.

In operation the strap is passed around the trunk, the head H being seated in the opening W, the loop 0 is passed onto the strap, the latter is passed under the lever member L through the recess R, and the lever member is raised, as shownin Fig. 3. The strap is then drawn tight by the operator, the lever L depressed upon the strap, and the loop 0 passed over the raised portionQ and engaged under the tongues U and Z, as shown in Fig. 2. The strap is then held clamped between the teeth 15 in the recess R and those on the bevel B, and will remain so clamped as long as the lever is depressed. When it is desired to remove the strap from the trunk, the tongue Z is depressed, the loop 0 is moved from beneath the tongue U over the tongue Z, and is then returned outwardly over both tongues, over the raised portion Q, and on the end of the lever. The latter is then raised, whereby the strap is released from the clamp in the recess, and the strap can then be removed from the trunk in a manner which will be obvious.

Although I have described my device as a fastener for a trunkstrap, it will be obvious that it might be used to fasten a strap around another article other than a trunk without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed as new, is

1. The herein-described trunk-strap fastener, the same comprising an end member E, to Which one end of the strap is connected, an intermediate member I, having a beveled inner face B, provided with teeth 15, a lever member L, having an undercut recess R, provided with teeth t and side arms A, pivoted to the sides of said intermediate member, and a loop for holding the outer end of the lever member down upon the strap, as and for the purpose set forth. I

2. The herein-described trunk-strap fastener, the same comprising an end member E, an intermediate member I, connected thereto, leaving a wedge -shaped hole WV between them, the strap S, having an enlarged head H, seated in said hole, a lever member L, pivoted to said intermediate member, and a clamp,

substantially as set forth, between said two I members, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The herein-described trunk-strap fastener, the same comprising the end member E,

to which one end of said strap is connected, I the lnterniediate member I, connected to said 3 end member, the lever member L, pivoted to said intermediate member and having a clamp, substantially as set forth, between them, the raised portion Q at the free end of the lever member, the spring-tongue U upon said raised portion projecting inwardly, and

a loop 0, sliding on said strap and adapted to pass over said tongue, as and for thepurpose specified.

at. The herein-described trunk-strap fastener, the same comprising the end member E, the intermediate member I, pivoted to said end member, leaving the wedge-shaped hole IV between, in which one end of the strap fits tightly, the lever member L, pivoted to said intermediate member, a clamp, substantially as set forth, between said last two members, the body of the lever member increasing in thickness toward the free end and there provided with a raised portion Q, a tongue U upon said raised portion projecting inwardly, 

